Last year, during GEW, YBU announced the national expansion of the Youth Business Ukraine programme, moving beyond our base in Dontesk, eastern Ukraine. Each day of the year was devoted to helping enterprising young Ukrainians to start-up own business and to develop sustainable businesses.

This year, as planned, we expanded to the south of Ukraine, to sunny Crimea and started operations in the port city of Sevastopol. Young people there are well-educated and talented, and we have found that all the business plans submitted to the selection panel, which assesses applications for YBU support, have been strong.

Then we moved more to the centre of the country and “anchored” in the Kharkov oblast. Here, YBU is focusing on young women from rural areas and small towns there who have no opportunities to find deserving jobs. YBU gives these young women a chance to become financially independent and make them more confident in their future and future of their children.

At last, during GEW 2012 YBU announced the launch in Western part of Ukraine, in a city of Burshtyn (Ivano-Frankovsk region) – located 1200 km from our central office in Donetsk. This pilot area is remarkable also because YBU is being implemented there together with the local Economic Development Agency, created and supported by a large national energy company.

Over the next 365 days until GEW Ukraine 2013 will certainly produce new successes, new regions, more and more young Ukrainian start-ups who will be forming the strong small and medium business in the country with support of Youth Business Ukraine 365 days a year.

More at http://www.sesp.org.ua
Photo shows Nikolay Orlov, owner of a construction company and father of five. Nikolay received start-up support from Youth Business Ukraine.